


A Mother Knows Everything

by vict_xria



Category: Amazingphil - Fandom, Dan Howell - Fandom, Danisnotonfire - Fandom, Phan, Phil Lester - Fandom, dan and phil
Genre: M/M, YouTube
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-06
Updated: 2016-12-06
Packaged: 2018-09-06 20:52:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,458
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8768839
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vict_xria/pseuds/vict_xria
Summary: dan and phil's relationship through mrs. howell's eyes





	

“Who ate the rest of the cereal?” Mrs. Howell complained, frowning down the empty box.

“Probably Dan,” Aiden remarked from the table, occupied by his toy cars he continuously brought to the table despite his mother’s constant scolding. Sighing, Mrs. Howell threw the box in the recycling bin and turned back to the pantry in search of something else to give Aiden for breakfast. “Good morning, dad,” she heard Aiden exclaim from behind her. She turned around to find her husband tying his tie while bending down to give Aiden a kiss on the head.

“Good morning,” Mr. Howell responded, turning his attention back to his now-messy tie. “Have you already eaten breakfast?”

“No because it seems your other son ate all our breakfast options last night,” Mrs. Howell spoke up. Mr. Howell grinned and made his way over to his wife, giving her a short kiss, pulling away with a gentle squeeze to her shoulder. “I swear, all that boy ever does is sit in his room and eat,” she continued, turning her attention to undoing Mr. Howell’s tie and beginning to do it correctly.

“Oh, c’mon, give him a break,” Mr. Howell said, choosing the most neutral choice of words he could muster. “He’ll be leaving to university soon. Let him live out the rest of his teenage years before he has to grow up and live in the adult world.”

“The adult world sounds like it sucks,” Aiden muttered from the table.

“ _Hey_ ,” Mrs. Howell scolded, standing up on her toes to look over her husband’s shoulder at their youngest. When Aiden said nothing, she returned back to tying Mr. Howell’s tie. “I just wish he would do something with his life. He has no plans for the future it seems.”

“He’s wants to be a lawyer.”

“He _says_ he wants to be a lawyer,” Mrs. Howell clarified, finishing the knot. After smoothing it out, she took a step back to look at her husband’s face properly. “I’m just worried. He has no idea where his life is headed.” The volume in her voice lowered so Aiden wouldn’t hear.  “And honestly, I don’t think he’s happy. He hardly smiles--the only times he ever does is after he gets off that bloody computer.” Sighing in frustration, she looked back down at the ground. “It just seems he hasn’t been happy in awhile.”

Mr. Howell brought his hand up to place it under his wife’s chin and tilt her head up to look at him again. “You’re overreacting. He’ll be fine.”

Mrs. Howell opened her mouth to respond, but her attention was taken by the sound of footsteps thundering into the kitchen.

“Mum, dad! Great, you’re both still here,” her eldest exclaimed, out of breath, as he practically sprinted into the kitchen.

“Well, good morning to you, too,” Mrs. Howell remarked sarcastically, pulling away from her husband.

“What is it, Daniel?” Mr. Howell spoke up.

Grinning sheepishly, Dan suddenly brought his arms around his own waist, a habit Mrs. Howell knew he only did when he was nervous. “I--erm--see, I have this friend--” At this, he paused to take a breath, slightly smiling to himself as he stared down at the hardwood floor. “--I--um--met, and we’ve been talking for awhile now, and--um--” He took another breath; this time, pausing longer to straighten himself and look at his parents. “He’s invited me to come over and spend a few days at his house.”

Mrs. and Mr. Howell just stared at their son in disbelief, a million thoughts flashing through their minds at the random burst of news. _Since when did Dan have a new friend?_

“Where did you meet this boy?” Mr. Howell asked cautiously.

At this, Dan resumed his previous nervous position. “The internet,” he muttered to the ground.

Mrs. Howell shot her head over to look at Mr. Howell, who stared back with eyes wide and his hands up in surrender-like fashion. “This is all you,” he stated, taking a few steps back for the show of it. After giving her husband a short glare, Mrs. Howell turned back to Dan, straightening up to look more like a parent. 

 _Don’t freak out_ , she reminded herself.

“Dan, honey, I don’t think you meeting someone online is such a good thing,” she stated firmly.

Dan’s eyes widened, his figure beginning to size back up. “No, it’s not what it sounds like! He--Phil--is actually a really amazing guy. We’ve been friends for months now, and we’ve gotten to know each other really well. He’s only a few years older than me, and I know he _is_ who he says he is because we’ve Skyped loads.”

So _that_ explains all the laughter they’ve been hearing at 3 AM.

 _Phil_. Mrs. Howell repeated the name in her head. What an average name. Obviously not average to Dan, though, since he spoke about this boy as if he put the stars in the sky. Silence enveloped the kitchen for a few moments as Aiden played with his cars, Mr. Howell looked as if he were watching a tennis match, Dan stared hopefully, and Mrs. Howell thought.

“Let me see a picture of this Phil,” she finally stated.

Dan hastily nodded and sprinted back down the hallway and up the stairs, returning with his laptop so quickly that Mr. Howell didn’t even have time to sarcastically comment on the situation. “Here he is,” Dan said, admiration flooding his voice. He held the laptop open to both her parents. A boy looking almost Dan’s age smiled brightly back. Jet black hair contrasted his pale skin, which also made his piercing blue eyes stand out. He was beautiful.

But as Mrs. Howell stared at the picture, something suddenly overtook her. Something almost vision-like. Mrs. Howell saw more than the picture.

She saw train stations and tight hugs. She heard laughter and heavy breathing. She saw hands being held and snowball fights. She saw sharpies.

She saw bitter goodbyes and sweet hellos. She heard _I love you_ s and _I miss you_ s. She saw Skype calls and dorm rooms. She saw kisses.

She heard crying and comfort. She saw holding and decisions. She saw letters and heads bowed. She heard _I’m sorry, mum_ s.

She saw house keys and hopeful smiles. She saw a video and memories. She heard more I love yous and saw more kisses. She saw websites and disbelief. She heard screaming and crying. She heard doors slamming and silence.

She saw slow revival and hesitant smiles. She saw careful hugs and heated kisses. She saw letters and phone calls. She saw microphones and headphones She heard excitement and radio introductions. She saw smiles.

She saw numbers and hugging. She heard video games and more videos. She heard an idea and excited planning. She saw more Skype calls.

She heard announcements and more excitement. She saw rehearsals and props. She heard laughter and songs. She saw books and tickets. She heard crowds screaming.

She saw recording studios and more videos. She saw tour buses and big venues. She saw award shows and confetti. She heard words of praise and congratulations. She saw lines of hundreds, thousands of people.

But more importantly, she saw reassurance. She saw love. She saw care. She saw happiness.

She saw two boys standing next to each other, and she heard them telling each other, “We did it.”

“Mum?” Dan asked carefully, snapping his mother out of her thoughts. Mrs. Howell looked up at Dan in pure disbelief and amazement. He stared back, unsure of what to do or say.

“Is this--Phil--more than a friend?” Mrs. Howell practically whispered.

Dan stared back at his mother, equally amazed. “H-how did you know?”

She smiled slightly. “A mother knows everything.” She turned to look at her husband. He stared back at her in confusion. Turning back to Dan, she took a step forward and smiled. “You can go,” Mrs. Howell answered, and she swore she had never seen her eldest son smile as brightly as he did in that moment.

(Of course, give a few years, and she would see him smile _much_ brighter than that.)

“Thank you, mum!” Dan practically screamed as he set his laptop down and leapt forward to hug his mother.

Mrs. Howell chuckled and pulled away. “Now, we can go over the details later. Go get changed,” she instructed.

Dan just excitedly nodded before sprinting back upstairs with his laptop, probably to tell Phil he _was_ coming.

“You were right,” Mrs. Howell said to her husband as she stared ahead at nothing.

“Hm?” Mr. Howell asked, now distracted by helping himself to a pot of coffee on the counter.

“He _is_ going to be okay.”


End file.
